Alabama Football: Note to Greg Byrne, pay the man!

Alabama Football: Greg Byrne needs to present a new deal to Steve Sarkisian soon. Soon, as in early Sunday morning.

Most Alabama football fans do not want Offensive Coordinator, Steve Sarkisian to leave Tuscaloosa after this season. A near-universal opinion of Tide fans is if Sarkisian does leave for a head coach job, it cannot be to Auburn.

There is nothing unsound in that thinking. Sarkisian has done an exceptional job this season. Yes, there is considerable Alabama football offensive talent, but Sark has fashioned the talent into the best offensive system in college football. Still, we could be overreacting to the risk of losing Sark to Auburn.

The Auburn ‘string-pullers’ (using an Alabama history description, let’s call them the ‘Big Mules’) have apparently long had Kevin Steele as a ‘coach-in-waiting.’ It appears Gus Malzahn was unaware and the Big Mules got tired of waiting. Their announced search is a smokescreen, a fallback contingency plan, or another example of Auburn finding the worst way to do anything.

Having reached out recently, first to Malzahn, and after the firing, to the Aubies’ decision-makers, this note carries other intentions. Our note to Gus Malzahn was advice to help him save his job. That effort failed. The follow-up note was a plea to the ‘Big Mules’ to hire Reverend Hugh Freeze. Although the Reverend would be a perfect fit for Auburn, like our note to Gus, it appears we failed again.

This time, the communication effort will stay ‘in-house’ so to speak. On behalf of many Alabama football fans, we reach out to Athletic Director, Greg Byrne.

Dear Mr. Byrne

If, as we surmise, Nick Saban does not want Steve Sarkisian to leave, you are urged to act quickly. The risk of Auburn hiring Sark may be minimal, but other schools either already have, or will be coming for Sark. Sarkisian cannot be faulted for wanting to be a head coach again. He will be, but hopefully, you and Nick can entice him to remain in Tuscaloosa for another two or three seasons.

Sark is arguably the best Offensive Coordinator in college football. If Nick Saban agrees, then get out the checkbook. Offer Sark a new three-year deal, starting at $4M next year, with increases in years two and three of the deal. According to the USA Today annual survey of coaching pay, he is already making a higher salary than 62 current FBS head coaches. Getting him to $4M would be a sound preemptive move. A hefty price tag should be in the contract for schools wanting to buy him out of his Alabama football contract early.

Unless Nick wants it otherwise, stay away from any ‘coach-in-waiting’ discussions. Nick Saban has too much left in his tank to contemplate when successor conversations will be needed.

Don’t worry about how a $4M assistant contract will look. In value to the program, it could be argued Sarkisian is worth even more.

Thank you for your outstanding leadership of University of Alabama Athletics.

RTR Forever!

Bama Hammer

While our message is serious, that Greg Byrne might need our advice is, of course, in jest. Saban and Byrne will make the right decision.